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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23761186">Summer Roads</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofhoneyandrosepetals/pseuds/ofhoneyandrosepetals'>ofhoneyandrosepetals</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Life Is Strange 2 (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:34:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,097</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23761186</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofhoneyandrosepetals/pseuds/ofhoneyandrosepetals</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You’ve always been Lyla’s best friend, but since Sean moved you became an inseparable trio. But who could say that, after all these years together, you would start growing feelings for Sean?<br/>Events take place on summer 2014, mostly.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sean Diaz/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>You’ve known Lyla Park all your life - living right across the street was the very reason for your friendship. And, when the new kid moved, you all became the inseparable trio. There wasn’t a moment when one couldn’t see you, Lyla and Sean together - playing around the neighborhood when kids, meeting at each other’s houses, hanging out together in school. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Lyla discovered her interest in skateboarding she tried to teach you, but you were helpless. You started getting frustrated at the sport - both Lyla and Sean knew how to skateboard, but you were the only one in the trio who couldn’t; until one day Sean showed up at your house with a pair of roller skates. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is this?” You asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I found it in my garage, thought you might want to give it a try, you know? Since… you can’t get along with skateboards and stuff…” Sean scratched the back of his head, seeming a bit worried that he might hurt your feelings. You bit your lips - you guys were 10 years old then. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will you help me?” You asked him, making Sean look at you with wide open eyes, looking a bit surprised. “I’m afraid of falling…” You tried to continue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure. Though the fall is part of it,” he giggled a bit, not knowing exactly how to act.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sean got his hands on yours and started to guide you around the street. “I have no idea how it is to skate with them, but I thought that it would be easier for you, I don’t know…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get it, Sean. Thanks,” you smiled at him and he returned the smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You never thought of that event as something meaningful - in fact, you always thought about it as a friend trying to help another friend. Sean and Lyla would always go to the park to skateboard and you would only watch, since you gave up on trying it. It wasn’t your thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Sean was only thinking about you, thinking of a way that you guys could hang out together even in skating. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once you and Lyla discovered the nail polish, every night you three spent together at one’s house, you two convinced Sean to let you paint his nails. At first he would always deny it “because he was a boy”, but he always gave in because he wanted to make you girls happy. You painted Sean’s right hand nails while Lyla got his left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course the next day there it would be no nail polish to be seen on Sean’s nails.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sean was always there for you and Lyla, and you two were a complete pack. One came with another, and he never complained about it. He loved you both equally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You had never seen Sean Diaz as something different than your friend - best friend, even -, and if someone told you that this would change, you’d say they were crazy. Sean was your best friend. It would be the same thing as having a crush on Lyla. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But no one can control their feelings, and you surely couldn’t control yours. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was four years after Sean gave you the roller skates that everything changed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was out of nowhere. It wasn’t something you realized bit by bit. It stroke you like a lightning - a sudden realization. It felt like a river flowing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The summer of 2014.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Sean looked </span>
  <em>
    <span>cute</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You were at Lyla’s when you saw him coming, skateboard in hand. The way he walked, the way he looked at his surroundings - it all contributed to your feelings. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He looks cute</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you had thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wait, what?!</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you thought right after, shaking your head. Lyla was too busy with her skateboard to pay attention to you. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But… he </span>
  </em>
  <span>is </span>
  <em>
    <span>cute</span>
  </em>
  <span>, your mind completed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no,” you let out loud. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Lyla asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, nothing, I forgot something. Be right back,” you rushed to your house, not even looking at Sean, who was getting closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inside your room you buried your face on your hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell, Y/N? Where did this came from?” You peeked outside your window - you could see Sean talking to Lyla. The way he talked, his gestures - you could even hear his voice, the way he said things. Your heart skipped a bit. “Oh shit,” the swearing ran out of your mouth. You paid attention to Sean - his hair, his clothes, sneakers, even his skateboard. “Oh no no no no, this is not good. This is bad. This is very bad,” you bit your thumb, like you always did when you were nervous. “It’s just a phase. It’s nothing. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>have a crush on Sean. That’s crazy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a deep breath you decide to go back to your friends, but not before checking you out in the mirror and adjusting your hair, an unconscious act. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Y/N. Ready to go?” Sean asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” you squicked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You… good?” Lyla asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great! Never better!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lyla gave you a suspicious look and stood up. Sean hugged you both and started walking, guiding you two in a tight hug. You tried your ass off to not have an accelerated heartbeat, but it was useless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>C’mon, how many times did Sean do this? How many times did you guys hold hands, all together? This was no different from those times. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except for it was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sean’s touch never had any effects on you until now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You could feel his scent - shampoo and washing powder. Did he always smelled like that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But of course he did - he was Sean. His clothes always smelled good, even after a day while skateboarding. You looked at his shoes and the way he tied the laces. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit, none of this is a good sign</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you thought to yourself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y/N? Is everything okay? You are a bit weird today,” Lyla asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah yeah, I’m fine,” you shook your head, trying to get rid of all the thoughts. “Just zoning out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No wonder she’s acting weird,” Sean said. “Today’s the day!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?!” You asked, surprised. Day? What day? How did he know?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, our bet,” Sean realized you had no idea what he was talking about. “Oh, you forgot it…” So </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> was what he was talking about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No no no, I didn’t. I didn’t!” You repeated after Sean looked suspicious. “I’m just… having a feeling that I’m missing something. That’s all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Today is the first day of summer vacation, Y/N,” Lyla said. “Of course you feel like you’re forgetting something. But let’s not think of school, let’s think about that rad bet that I’m knowing nothing about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sean explained to Lyla the bet you and him had made while you looked up at the clear, blue sky. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>First day of summer vacation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day you realized that something was different about Sean. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh boy - it was going to be a long, long summer.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’ll be the judge,” Lyla states as you arrive at the park. </p><p>“You got it, boss,” you make fun of her.</p><p>“I <em> am </em> going to be the judge.”</p><p>“No one said otherwise.”</p><p>“Keep that behaviour young lady and we might have some problems,” Lyla points a finger at you.</p><p>“Whatever you say, Ms. Judge,” you raise your hands.</p><p>“So, recapping: Sean,” she points at the boy.</p><p>“Here.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know. You’re going to blunt to fakie, right?”</p><p>“That’s the idea…” He says a bit intimidated. </p><p>“And Y/N,” she points at you. “You got the reverse box grind, 180 exit.”</p><p>“I hope so,” you chuckle. “You think we got too much ahead of our abilities?” You whisper to Sean.</p><p>“Say for yourself, I’m kicking your ass,” he answers.</p><p>“Not with that unstable voice, you won’t,” Lyla says.</p><p>“I’m not scared,” Sean assures.</p><p>“Yeah, right,” Lyla grims. </p><p>“Dude, what kinda judge are you?” Sean complains.</p><p>“The intimidating one.”</p><p>“It’s more the impartial one to me,” he mumbles.</p><p>“Uhn… <em> excuse me </em>?” Lyla crosses her arms.</p><p>“Yeah, you know Y/N way longer than me.”</p><p>“And?” Lyla raises her eyebrows.</p><p>“No fair,” Sean complains, shrugging.</p><p>“What, do you really think I’m going to give Y/N the advantage?”</p><p>“Yeah?” Sean says.</p><p>“Well, I’m not.”</p><p>“You’re not?” You ask.</p><p>“Sweetie, that’s what I have to say to him,” Lyla whispers to you.</p><p>“<em> I knew it!! </em>” Sean points at you two.</p><p>“C’mon Seanie, you know I’m messing with you,” Lyla wraps an arm around Sean’s shoulder. You bite your lower lip at the sight of them getting this close. <em> Gosh, what’s wrong with me? </em> “You have ten minutes to get prepared. Let’s go!” Lyla claps her hands and you go to the skate ramp.</p><p>While you stretch a little, Sean gets near you. “I’m having second thoughts about that.”</p><p>“What, macho man, I thought you said you were going to <em> kick my ass </em>,” you mock him as you put on your roller skates.</p><p>“It’s just… it was my idea, if I get hurt it doesn’t mean anything, you know? But if you get hurt then I’ll feel bad.”</p><p>“Sean, I’m not gonna get hurt.”</p><p>“Yo! Less talk, more action! You have five minutes left before we start!” Lyla shouts from afar.</p><p>“I do hope so, Y/N. Be careful,” Sean pats your shoulder and you feel a little aroused at his words, hoping you didn’t blush.</p><p>“Yeah yeah, right back at ya, now go to the other side,” you start pushing him.</p><p>This wasn’t something new for Sean, not so much - being worried about you or Lyla -, but it was new for you, at least after you started thinking how cute he was.</p><p><em> Get your shit together </em> , you thought to yourself. <em> Remember all the times Sean has been like this with you - with Lyla even </em>.</p><p>And you did.</p><p>You remembered the first time you tried the roller skates. Sean was there by your side, holding your hands and making sure you didn’t fall. Then, after you felt more secure to try it at the park, he always told you to be careful at some specific points he knew it was tricky for his skateboard. The first couple times you fell he always helped you get up.</p><p>Okay, maybe it wasn’t <em> that </em> good of an idea to remember those things - your heart was definitely beating faster.</p><p><em> Fuck it, he’s the exactly same with Lyla </em>, you thought. But was he really? At the beginning, of course, but lately you haven’t noticed this kind of behaviour of him towards Lyla. Maybe it’s because they’ve been skateboarding for longer than you were roller skating. </p><p>“It’s no good thinking over this,” you mumble to yourself. “It doesn’t mean anything.”</p><p>You get up and start skating around. Every time you get past Sean you two clapped hands - it was a thing you did for so long that you didn’t even need to think about doing it. </p><p>You do a quick entry before Lyla screams it was time.</p><p>You skate over to Sean. “So, who goes first?”</p><p>“How do they say…?” He holds his chin and looks up. “Ladies first,” he gives you a smile then goes to his side of the ramp. </p><p>Sean sat on the edge of the ramp, watching you. You even thought about asking him to maybe turn around so you don’t get so nervous, but that would be just silly.</p><p>“Stay cool, Y/N,” you say to yourself. </p><p>Catching impulse, you go for your trick.</p><p>Arriving at the top of the ramp, your front foot sliding and your back foot grinding, you slide to Sean’s direction, being careful to not stumble on him.</p><p>“Oh my freaking god I’m doing it,” you say as you go. “<em> Lyla, I’m doing it! </em>” You turn your head to Lyla, excited.</p><p>“Careful Y/N, otherwise you won’t be able to finish it,” she shouts at you.</p><p>“Y/N?” You hear Sean calling your name.</p><p>“Yeah?” You turn your head to Sean and, as you do so, you lose your balance, your front foot misaligning. </p><p>“Oh my god Y/N, <em> careful </em>,” Sean gets up to hold you as you start falling, but your sudden weight on him pushes you two down the ramp and you two fall rolling, tangled at each other. </p><p>As Sean’s back hit the ground he lets out a grunt of pain and you fall on top of him, your foreheads bumping into each other.</p><p>“<em> Ouch! </em>” You two cry out.</p><p>“Are you okay?!” Lyla ran towards you.</p><p>You open your eyes, rubbing your forehead. You’re still on top of Sean.</p><p>“Oh, I’m so sorry,” you say as you realize how close you were. You try not to think of it. Sean is holding your arms as they support you on the ground, not sure of what to do next.</p><p>“Do you… uh, need any help?” He asks, stuttering.</p><p>“Oh, no no, I’m fine,” you try to get up in a way that you don’t sit on his lap, but given your position it was kinda difficult not to do so, so you just get up really fast, which was a bad idea - everything turned black. “Oh,” you stumble as someone holds you. It was Lyla.</p><p>“Well, that was one hell of a fall, are you two alright?” She asks.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m fine,” Sean says. “Just hit my back, but that should be fine.”</p><p>“And your forehead,” Lyla adds. “Oh no Y/N, you scraped your knee.”</p><p>“Did I?” You look down to your knee - the right one was scraped. “That’s fine, I barely feel it. My head hurts the most.”</p><p>“Yeah, I always said that Sean’s head is as hard as a rock.”</p><p>“<em> Hey! </em>” He complains. You chuckle.</p><p>“You guys want to call off the bet?” Lyla asks.</p><p>“<em> Hell no! </em>” You protest. “I just tripped and fell. It’s nothing. It’s Sean’s turn.”</p><p>“You okay?” Lyla asks Sean. He nods.</p><p>“How did I go?” You ask Lyla.</p><p>“You mean before or after the fall?”</p><p>“Ha-ha,” you say sarcastically.</p><p>“Don’t worry baby girl, I recorded it.”</p><p>“I’m not sure how to feel about that,” you say with a pout.</p><p>“C’mon, let’s record Sean’s fall.”</p><p>“<em> My what? </em>” Sean shouts.</p><p>“Trick! I said trick!” Lyla shouts back.</p><p>“Am I too mean if I want him to fall too?”</p><p>“That depends. Here, take my phone. Film him. You totally got the trick, y’know? You only fell at the end of it. If Sean gets his done, and doesn’t fall, then I’ll have to call him the winner.”</p><p>You nod.</p><p>“Yeah, I definitely want him to fall.”</p><p>“Then yes, you are mean. <em> Is this for today or what? </em>” Lyla cups her hands around her mouth as she shouts. Sean shows her his middle finger. You giggled at that. It was cute.</p><p>“Oh, he’s going. There he goes,” Lyla narrates. “Okay, he’s about to blunt. Blunt to fakie. Blunt to fakie,” her voice starts to raise as Sean gets to the other side of the ramp and start to go up. “Yeah! Yes! And…! Oh,” Lyla says, a bit disappointed.</p><p>“I’m pretty sure that… wasn’t it… I guess?” You say.</p><p>“Nope. Turn to me,” Lyla motions to you, meaning the phone. “And that, folks, was a nose stall. Not a blunt. Not a blunt to fakie. Nose stall.”</p><p>You see Sean going to you guys.</p><p>“Seanie loser!” Lyla says.</p><p>“Yeah yeah yeah, I know. I tried, I really did. It’s just… it’s tricky.”</p><p>“That’s why they call it a trick, dude.”</p><p>“I thought I was gonna make it.”</p><p>“I think it was pretty close,” you say shrugging. </p><p>“It doesn’t matter if it’s a close trick or not. Sean did the wrong one. Congrats, Y/N, you won the bet. Now let’s go to my place and celebrate!”</p><p>You put your hand out, palms up to Sean and bite your lips, raising your eyebrows. With a half smile and a look you couldn’t quite read, Sean holds your hand.</p><p>“Dude,” you say.</p><p>“What? Isn’t that what you wanted?” He says cocky. <em> Oh, fuck </em> , you think. <em> Fuck fuck fuck </em>.</p><p>“Bucks!” The word go out of your mouth quite out loud. “I mean, you owe me. Twenty bucks.”</p><p>“Oh man,” he complains with a chuckle. “I thought I could get away with that.”</p><p>“That pretty face of yours is not that powerful yet,” you say without thinking. What could you possibly worry about? You three always teased each other like that, it wasn’t <em> now </em> that Sean would suspect anything, or so you hoped. He clicked his tongue as he gave you twenty dollars. “Pleasure making business with you, Diaz,” you gave him a smile as you ran to catch up with Lyla, who got your hand on hers as soon as you got close. </p><p>“Hey, it’s not because I lost the bet that I should be left behind,” Sean says as he catches up with you two, breaking you two apart to be in the middle, both his arm around your and Lyla’s shoulder. You looked at him and took a deep breath.</p><p><em> This should be fine </em> , you thought as you give a side look to his hand hanging from your shoulder. <em> We’re best friends </em>, you think before lacing your fingers to his, which he does the same.</p><p>“Why don’t we get sleeping bags?” Lyla suggests as you go up the street to her house.</p><p>“Sleep outside, you mean?” Sean asks.</p><p>“Yeah, why not? Y/N? What do you think? You’re the winner.”</p><p>“I thought you were the judge,” you answer.</p><p>“That’s right, I make the calls here,” she says proudly. “And I say we sleep outside tonight.”</p><p>“How’s your knee?” Sean asks you.</p><p>“It’s fine,” you say looking at him.</p><p>“It was a pretty ugly fall. I feel kinda bad…”</p><p>“Don’t start with it, please. I’m fine. After all, I won,” you tease him.</p><p>“If you can brag about it, then you’re fine.”</p><p>You three laugh.</p><p>“Hey, did you guys remember that time when Sean was supposed to blunt but instead he did a nose stall?” Lyla teases him.</p><p>“Very funny, make fun of the only guy here.”</p><p>Your loud voices and laughter could be heard from afar, and soon enough the sun was about to set. Tilting your head you took a good look of your friends as they passionately discussed. You paid a little more attention to Sean’s features, how his dark skin looked even more pretty against the sunbeam. </p><p>“What are you weirdo looking at?” Lyla asks.</p><p>“Nothing,” you say smoothly. “I’m just really looking forward to have the best summer ever.”</p><p>“And we’re going to!” Lyla shouts to the sky as she pushes Sean aside to give you a kiss on the cheek.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I need to get some stuff first,” Sean said as you got near Lyla’s place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, me too,” you said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay then, I’ll prepare things. And by that I mean my mom,” Lyla responds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But she loves us,” you say frowning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even so,” Lyla shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Care if I go with you to pick your stuff up? I need to give Daniel that thing I promised,” you ask Sean.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, cool. I’ll go with you to pick up your stuff too,” you were too busy looking at Sean to notice the look on Lyla’s face. “I need to give that board a new update.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hearing this made your heart pound a little - Sean meant the little whiteboard you had in your room for important notes, but those important notes turned out to be Sean’s drawings. Sometimes he would draw something simple, and other times he would make something clever and funny. It was a nice Easter egg feeling - you never knew what was coming. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At your house, you grabbed your sleeping bag and old clothes to use as pajamas. A little necessaire followed the pack as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit, I don’t know where I put it…” you thought out loud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That thing for Daniel?” Sean turned his head from the whiteboard. “What is it, anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A stuffed animal…” You say focused in your search, looking behind pillows and under the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A stuffed animal? You do know he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>seven</span>
  </em>
  <span> already, right?” Sean said with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I forgot my basic math lessons,” he chuckled in response. “It's a Power Bear, but since I haven’t played with it for a long time I asked Daniel if he wanted it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course he did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s cute that a seven year old boy still wants a stuffed animal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daniel is always cute,” Sean said in a low tone and you thought you felt a little resentment there. Shrugging the feeling off, you focus yourself once again in your search. “Try in the corner by the window. Where the toy chest is. You always lost things there as a kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I don’t have any toys in there anymore,” you say as you open the chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sean, once finished with the drawing, grims and goes to the toy chest, moves it a little bit and then raises his eyebrows at you. You roll your eyes, knowing what was behind there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” you say as you get the stuffed Power Bear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At your service. Are you all packed up? I mean, I don’t want to rush you or anything…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, I’m good. Just lemme grab some chips.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare let Lyla hear this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Cheetos are not chips</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” you imitate her. Sean laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They really are not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but I just can't stop saying it that way. But I don’t have Cheetos, anyway. It’s Doritos.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We haven't had that discussion yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I don’t look forward to having it. Let’s go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before going out of your room you give a quick look to Sean’s update on your board. He made a drawing of the two of you at the skate ramp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s really nice,” you point out. “But where’s Lyla?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The little dot back there.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We agree to not let her see this, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You bet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Arriving at Sean’s house, Daniel storms out of his room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you bring Y/N? That’s so cool! Is she sleeping here?” Daniel says all excited.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, goofball,” you greet him. “I brought ya something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? What is it, what is it?” The little boy starts bouncing. You pull out the stuffed Power Bear and Daniel goes wild. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Wooooow…!</span>
  </em>
  <span> That Power Bear you told me about!” He said in amazement. “Oh, he’s fluffy,” he chuckles after he pokes the toy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s yours, you do know that, right?” You say to him. Daniel gives a shy look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember you said so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was just afraid that you had forgotten. Or changed your mind,” Sean said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was not!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes you were.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, here we go,” you breathe out. “Danny? It’s yours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yay!” He grabs the toy and hugs your legs - actually what he can reach at his height.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you say…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks!” Daniel says as he runs to his room again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear that sometimes…” Sean begins to say, but you put a hand on his arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s fine, Sean. He’s a kid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I know… It’s just… Sometimes it’s hard to live with him everyday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That muffin? You joking me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wanna trade?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m hearing this,” Daniel’s head appeared outside his room, pouting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” Sean says. “Is dad home?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Garage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll just let him know that we’ll be sleeping over at Lyla’s,” of course you paid attention to the whole phrase, but the </span>
  <em>
    <span>we</span>
  </em>
  <span> got to stick for a little longer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You enjoyed the Diaz garage, even though you didn’t understand shit about cars or knew what tools were those.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey! If it isn’t Y/N,” Esteban greets you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, Esteban,” you wave a shy hand at him. “How are you doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just good,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, dad,” Sean interrupts. “We’re gonna have a sleepover at Lyla, is that okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, </span>
  <em>
    <span>mijo</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” suddenly worry takes over Estaban’s face. “Y/N, I think your knee is bleeding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” you completely forgot about your bruise. “It’s fine, it’s just a scratch. I tripped with my roller skate, but luckily Sean was my superhero.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was he?” You didn’t know if it was because of your crush on Sean, but you could swear for everything in this world that Esteban’s eyes sparkled a little. Maybe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, cut it out,” Sean says, his hand scratching his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I’m not gonna let you leave my house until someone takes care of that scratch,” Esteban says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s no need to, really.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll do it,” Sean says quickly. Esteban was smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” You ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, c’mon. Things are in the bathroom.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Going upstairs, you insist to Sean that there's no need to take care of your knee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me just clean it then, you can’t go around with a bloody knee.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually I thought we were doing just fine,” walking in front of you, you didn’t need to look at his face to know Sean rolled his eyes. It was a thing that you could even </span>
  <em>
    <span>hear</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You sat on the edge of the bathtub, waiting for Sean as he looked in the cabinet for the things he needed, trying not to give away your nervousness. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s just going to clean your scratch, it’s not a big deal. Lyla could do the same thing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you kept thinking to yourself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s on your mind? You look so thoughtful,” you heard Sean’s voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” you jumped on your seat. “Nothing, nothing. I was just… zoning out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m kinda nervous about this, I don’t wanna hurt you,” you could see Sean’s hands weren't as steady as they used to be, but you believed him, innocently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You won’t hurt me, at least not as much as I already am,” he smiled at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not one to brag, but sometimes I take care of Daniel’s scratches as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So it’s in your résumé,” you say jokingly. Sean only smiled, since he started cleaning your knee attentively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You swallowed dry as you kept your attention on him. Sean was being very serious on his task, but his hands were a little shaky. You could barely feel the liquid burning on your skin, and you give the credits for that to your fucked up feelings. Maybe Sean’s hands had something to do with it too - they were hands of an artist, after all. He knew how to be delicate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How does it feel?” He asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine. I’m not feeling it much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m all finished here, just lemme put a bandage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t need it, Sean,” you protest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least for today, Y/N,” since you don’t answer, Sean looks up at you. He holds your look. “I know you’re stubborn, but only for today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You don’t give up on your principles. Sean takes a deep breath. “Gosh, you’re just like Daniel sometimes. Please, Y/N,” Sean pressures the bridge of his nose, trying to keep his patience. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But there was no time for anything else, because a little goofball stormed inside the bathroom, holding a stuffed Power Bear and another toy you didn’t recognize.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Swooooosh</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Daniel made the toys fly. “You will never catch me, Power Bear!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daniel!” Sean shouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll call my reinforcements!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daniel!” Sean tried again, but Daniel came up to running around the bathroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There it is!” Daniel pointed a stuffed Power Bear to you. “My reinforcements are here! Prepare to lose!” Daniel ran to your direction, knocking you down inside the bathtub.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god,” you say laughing as Daniel fell on top of you, his little arms tangled in yours.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daniel!” Sean kept trying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll never beat me, Power Bear!” Daniel sat on top of you and started playing with his toys again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>For fuck’s sake, Daniel!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Sean lost it, his voice raising tones and more tones. You looked surprised at him, as well as Daniel, who turned. “Get out of her…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You never let me have fun!” Daniel complained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> have all the fun, Daniel! Now get out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I wanna play with Y/N…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She can’t, she’s hurt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sean…” you try to reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? Where?” Daniel started turning your head, looking for anything. You giggled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I scratched my knee, goofball. But I’m fine, it’s not that big of a deal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See, Sean? She says she’s fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still need a bandage, though,” Sean says, pouting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you can have one of mine! It has Hawt Dawg Man!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s neat, Danny. Would you put it on for me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes!” Daniel leaves the bathtub and goes to his room. Sean gives you a hand to get up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t fucking believe him…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shh, he’s coming.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here! See?, it’s big. I’ll put it upside down so you can see Hawt Dawg Man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, dude,” you ruffled his hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Any reinforcement of Power Bear is my friend too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>was the reinforcement?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We gotta go, Daniel. Say bye to her as I get my stuff.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe it,” Sean complains as you two go down the street.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sean, you need to be more understanding with him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, but it’s so hard - and you don’t make it any easier too. I was trying my ass off to put a bandage on you and you only accept when Daniel suggests it,” you would be lying if you said that Sean’s words didn’t hurt you a bit. On normal times this wouldn’t affect you, but now everything is different.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Sean, but your brother is just the cutest thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry I upset you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Sean looked at you surprised. “You… you didn’t upset me, not exactly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s… I don’t know, it’s nothing,” he shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t need to be jealous of Daniel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not,” he says as he rolls his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, right,” you say ironically and put a hand on his shoulder. “But thank you for taking care of my knee. If you had offered me a bandage of Hawt Dawg Man before maybe I would’ve accepted sooner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So that’s what it was all about, huh?” Sean grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t news that sometimes Sean would be jealous of Daniel when he got in the middle of you and Lyla, trying to get your attention and playing with you. You never had a sibling to know how the feeling was and what really happened there, but today it was a little weird, if you could say so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe Sean got angry because Daniel started to make a mess, but you thought it was so adorable that you could never think otherwise. You frowned as you stared at the asphalt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re zoning out again. What’s up with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just looking at my new awesome bandage,” you lie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With that look? I would say you’re trying to make it disappear.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You laugh and slap his arm with the back of your hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“C’mon, let’s just go to Lyla’s. She’s probably wondering why we’re taking so long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll blame Daniel for that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you will, Big Brother of the Year.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Ugh, finally - I was starting to think you guys decided to bail on me,” that’s how Lyla received you and Sean.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not today, no,” Sean said. You giggled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good to know you’re up to something. I’ll keep tabs on you two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Me </span>
  </em>
  <span>too?” You pointed to yourself. “But I didn’t say anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll. Keep. Tabs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You hoped this wasn’t true, because you thought if Lyla suspected anything, you would be dead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, backyard?” You raised your bag, indicating if you should leave the things there. Lyla nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can see you brought some food, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not food exactly, it’s more like… things we chew.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want to say chips, don’t you?” Lyla said deadpan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But they are…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Girls, I really don’t wanna pull that thread,” Sean passed his arms around yours and Lyla’s shoulders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought knowledge was always welcomed,” Lyla said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only during school. It’s summer, Ly,” you gave a kiss on her cheek and went outside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Starting to place your sleeping bag, Lyla lied on the grass, arms behind her head. Sean sat on the bench, elbows on knees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have the feeling that this summer is going to be a special one,” Lyla started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why’s that? Sometimes I think that too, it’s my last summer before becoming a freshman. But you’re going to be a sophomore,” you said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I’m going to be a freshman too,” Sean says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys are so cute. Don’t worry, we’ll always be together there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You putting it like that makes us feel like kids, as if you were some big grown up,” you were too wrapped up on your own thoughts to pay attention to Sean or Lyla. You guessed she was right, but not because of the changes high school would bring. Maybe it was because of how the sun rose on the first day of summer vacations, how the morning was cool but as time kept going it got a little warmer. The sun was this shining guiding light hanging on a blue, clear sky, that if you glared too much at you would start feeling lost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was easy to get lost when the sky had no clouds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Earth calling Y/N?” You hear someone calling you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” You answer both ways, Sean and Lyla.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was thinking that, since Lyla can’t stop saying how this summer is special and whatever shit…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” She protests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It made me remember she promised me long ago I could tag her wall.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My mom is gonna </span>
  <em>
    <span>freak</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Lyla said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s a good idea. Maybe Sean could put our three ideas into one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not that much of a pro,” Sean said humbly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“C’mon Seanie, have some faith,” you say. “You’re great.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I have a board we could tag and just hang in the wall, it’s better this way. I’ll keep my promise and my mom won’t kill me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll keep an edited promise, but that works,” you nod in concordance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, lemme find it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you have in mind?” Sean asks you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” You got caught off guard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For the mural. What do you have in mind?” He asked with a smile, one you couldn’t take your eyes off from.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The beach,” you said without thinking first. “I always wanted to visit California, all that coast surf. My brother lives there with my father.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I remember. It seems like a nice place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you’re watching too much TV?” Lyla said, a big board covering her. You could only see her hands and feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think it’s too much different from what they show. At least not from what my brother tells me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, right, he lives there, doesn’t he? I forgot. Well, my idea for this summer is a lot of skating. Sean?” Lyla places the board on the fence, where the paint wouldn’t reach the wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I know what I’ll do. Let the pro work now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you said you were no pro,” Lyla teases.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shoosh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sean grabbed some spray can from his backpack while Lyla dragged your ass all the way across the back yard. She started chattering about the summer, the parties and the new year in high school, having ideas of what you three could do and go. She was so excited that she didn’t even notice you kept your eyes on Sean working, or at least you thought so. You noticed how his hair was starting to grow and wondered if this time he would let it grow through summer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You followed every movement of his, how his hand held the spray can and how his arm moved around to tag, how sometimes he would get down or be on tiptoe. Eventually you remembered yourself to look at Lyla and nod your head, trying to keep it casual. You didn’t want your crush to be so obvious, or obvious at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching Sean working made you realize how you liked every part of him, because every part of him made sense. It was… what he was made of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you guys peeking? I really prefer you to not,” he said loud enough so he didn’t need to turn his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Lyla answers and turns your head to her, grabbing your chin. “You never could not peak on his art, right? You were always so curious,” breathing nervously, hoping like hell Lyla didn’t suspect anything, you shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing I can do. I like it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” and Lyla started from where she stopped. Maybe this was a good sign, she didn’t pause her plans to try a talk with you on the matter. “Do you think you need anything new for your roller skates?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhn… no? I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been using them for a while, isn’t time for an upgrade?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I take good care of it,” </span>
  <em>
    <span>besides, Sean gave me them</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you added in your thoughts. You had no plans on changing anything about those roller skates. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was thinking that maybe I could work on them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa whoa whoa, hold up,” you raised your hands. “Forbidden territory. No touch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No fair, you let Sean sketch on them!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s because he was the one who gave me them,” you said without much confidence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see that favoritism there. It’s unfair, I’ve known you longer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m hearing that discussion and I don’t like it, I’m feeling pushed aside!” Sean said out loud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I love you, Seanie, but it’s not me, it’s Y/N.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just protecting my roller skates,” you defend yourself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now I’m offended,” Lyla said, a finger up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We all know your skateboard is a deadly machine,” Sean said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Artists are not supposed to give their opinion,” Lyla said and you heard Sean laughing. “Seriously, Y/N.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously, Lyla. My roller skates are perfect, I take good care of them. I keep maintenance,” she puffed in response. “But I know you always wanted to give my backpack a treat. To compensate you, I’ll let you do it tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“FINALLY!” Lyla shouts. “Gimme the thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s called a backpack.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gimme.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smiling, you handed her your backpack. Lyla went inside the house for a couple minutes and got back with a little box. “You’re not allowed to choose the patches.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your responsibility,” you said, raising your hands. You watched Lyla work on your backpack, but here and there you would glare at Sean for a few seconds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re quieter than usual,” Lyla pointed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess this afternoon got me tired.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe. You do seem a bit off today. Do you miss your brother? I know he visits every summer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I haven’t thought about it, really. Maybe it’s this whole summer idea, it got me dazed,” you throw your head back, hitting the fence behind you. “I do feel kinda off,” without noticing, your look froze on Sean, but you didn’t notice him. Lyla raised an eyebrow. “I just want to have the best time before school starts again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh… I know what this is about. Your first high school year. You’re scared.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not scared,” you said defensively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You just don’t know it, hun. I felt like that too. But now we’re gonna be together, all three of us. Besides, you’ll always have Sean by your side.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s true!” He shouted from the distance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My guess is that you feel like you’re leaving something behind,” Lyla said and this time you looked at Sean. You were leaving something behind, you felt like it, but you weren’t sure what it was and what it meant to start growing feelings for Sean, your childhood friend, almost a brother. You smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess so. Thanks, Ly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I haven’t said anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I do acknowledge I’m a terrific friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ladies, I’m done!” Sean announced and Lyla pushed you to the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I tag your ass!” She ran to see Sean’s work. You got up laughing and when you got to her side you pushed her. “Wow,” you heard her saying before you could take a look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a beach, leading you to assume Sean wanted to represent California. At the beach, in the middle of the sand, was a huge skate ramp, and you could see skaters all around. And, attacking them, coming out of the water, was an enormous squid, its tentacles grabbing the skaters and crashing the ramp. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, that’s rad,” Lyla said. “I loved it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, me too,” you tapped his shoulder. “But maybe you should let us add something? So it could be our mural?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sean gave you what you judged to be his biggest smile ever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How couldn’t I think about it? Yeah, sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You and Lyla grabbed each a spray can and exchanged looks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this what I think it is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’re thinking about the same thing I’m thinking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do girls do it?” Sean mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get tops,” you say. Lyla nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You could see Lyla making little roller skates on some of the squid’s tentacles while you made a giant bow on its head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my fucking god,” you heard Sean laughing. “You are creative, aren’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are,” Lyla said proudly and wrote her initials at the corner of the board. You did the same and, after you, Sean.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You noticed your index finger was pink and you held it up for your friends to see. Lyla’s was blue and Sean’s had a little rainbow on his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To the best summer ever,” Lyla said and you three touched your index fingers as some kind of toast. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>You woke up with the sunlight on your face, making your eyelids tremble. The first thing you noticed was that Sean’s sleeping bag was empty. Lyla was still asleep. Once you get up you head for the kitchen, where the smell of toasts and coffee filled the air. Lyla’s mom had a cup of steaming coffee on her hands as she talked with Sean, who devoured the toasts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wasn’t the night chilly?” Lyla’s mom asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was alright, the sleeping bags are warm,” Sean answered, a toast midway to his mouth when he saw you. “Ah, you up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, Y/N,” Yu-jin said. “Make yourself at home, of course,” she gestured for the kitchen, meaning that you could serve yourself as you pleased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I sure did that,” Sean mumbled, mouth full of toast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t do that, Sean,” you whispered at him, meaning his lack of manners in front of Lyla’s mom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’ll leave you two alone. If you need anything, I’ll be upstairs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, thanks,” you and Sean said at the same time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Plans for today?” The boy asked you. You shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, I guess Lyla actually made a list of things she wanted us to do, but I don’t know what’s there and I’m a bit afraid to ask.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’ll probably keep us busy the whole summer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You took notice of Sean’s hands as he cleaned the crumbles of toast from the counter. His index finger was still coloured from the spray paint. You looked at your own, still pink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, don’t worry about it, one shower and it’s clean,” you heard Sean saying about the spray paint.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not worried about that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it, then? That troubles you? I know there’s something, you’ve been acting all weird yesterday, zoning out and whatever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You could never, not in a thousand years, tell Sean what </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> troubled you, so you decided to lie, which wasn’t much of an easy decision - you hated lying. But in that situation it was perfectly acceptable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just my brother,” you said with a wave of your hand, as if dismissing the subject. “I don’t think he’s coming this summer and, well, that kinda sucks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Sean raised his eyebrows. “That’s awful, yeah. Why do you think he’s not coming? He didn’t say anything yet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it, Y/N,” Sean got up from the stool he was sitting on. “I’m sure he will come,” and Sean hugged you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t supposed to be or to feel weird, since you always hugged Sean, but now it was a delicate situation, since you weren't looking at him with the same eyes. You tried to think as fast as you could to relax your body and hug him back, passing your arms around him. The texture of the fabric of his shirt felt soft under your fingertips. You hugged him tight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” it was all you could manage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, hey - don’t get all sentimental,” Sean tapped your shoulders, a little smile on his face. “You know I’m always willing to trade Daniel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That comment made you laugh out loud. “I’d love to keep Daniel just for me for a couple days. We would play so much you’d be jealous!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t need to play with Daniel to get me jealous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The volume of his voice was so low that at first you doubted he even said anything. Sean was going out through the back door, so you couldn’t ask him if he’d say anything, and those words stuck to your brain like glue.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the end, Lyla’s mom needed her to help clean the house, so the second day of summer vacation wasn’t going to be spent by the three of you together. Sean asked if you wanted to go over his house and kill some time, but you were so scared of spending time alone with him that you declined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, you can’t be sad over something you don’t even know it’s gonna happen,” he said, sounding worried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I know, but I need to clean my room, you saw how the situation is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your room is not even slightly different from what it usually is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ouch,” you mimicked a stake going through your heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Silly,” Sean said as he shook his head. “Well, if you feel like doing something, anything, don’t hesitate to hit me up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You got it, boss,” you saluted him and jogged to your house without looking back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What you didn’t know was that Sean was the one who actually looked back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course you didn’t clean your room - not because you didn’t think it wasn’t necessary, because it clearly was, but simply because you were the type of person who never cleared their rooms. Simple as that. Instead, you spent the rest of the morning and the afternoon eating chips, watching TV and occasionally flipping a comic - doing whatever that came to you was the very key of keeping Sean out of your mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Your mom was at work, so when the bell rang it was up to you to go and open the door - checking before who it was, of course.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Your heart beat increased what it felt like a thousand percent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sean was at your front door.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Keep it cool, keep it cool</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you kept repeating to yourself in thoughts as you opened the door to see the whole Diaz family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, Y/N!” Greeted an excited Daniel, a Power Bear doll on his left hand as he waved his right one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Diaz. What can I do for you?” You propped one shoulder against the doorframe, trying to look cool and relaxed, and not someone who would probably pop and fly high into the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your mom called my dad to say that she’s going to be back home late, so you’re supposed to have dinner with us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I asked dad if we could get some pizza, since it’s summer vacation!” Daniel was excited as far as a 7 year old could get - meaning: at full speed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t she tell me that?” You asked. “I knew nothing about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sean only shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go put on some shoes, Y/N.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it dinner time already?” You looked behind you, at the clock hanging in the kitchen wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y/N, shooooooooes,” Sean begged. “I’m starving.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, okay, gimme a sec,” you raised your palms and, leaving the front door open so the Diaz family could come in, you went for your room to quickly change your clothes and put on some shoes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once you stepped outside your bedroom, Daniel went directly towards you, pretending that his toy was flying, circling around you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go let’s go let’s go!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t Lyla coming?” You asked Sean.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I called her, but she said she would stay home tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay home tonight?” That sentence was odd, coming from Lyla. “Is she alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She seemed fine - I guess she’s just tired from all the cleaning up. A thing you ended up not doing, right?” Sean flicked a look at your room, your door cracked open. You shrugged, embarrassed. “Please tell me you didn’t get your ass all sad the whole day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t!” You assured him. “I just watched TV and read some comics.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y/N,” Sean said as you locked the front door - Esteban and Daniel were already in the car, waiting for you. “You don’t need to lie to me, you do know that, right? I’d never judge you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t lie to you,” you quickly grabbed the key back and tossed it in your jeans pocket. Sean narrowed his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, my message was received. I hope you listen to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did. I will,” you shook your head, confused. “Whatever, Diaz. Let’s go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sean smiled and went to open the car door for you. Your heart skipped a bit and you had to take a deep, silent breath to recover yourself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Daniel seemed to command the whole show - he chose the table, he demanded to sit beside you and he also had a pick on one of the pizza toppings. Sean heavily sighed most of the time, especially when Daniel basically screamed that he’d be the one to sit by your side. Sean sat across you and you tried to look as what you thought you always did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You wanted to be and act normal around him after the new discovery of your feelings, but it was hard to do so - you always had the idea that Sean might pick up on the hints, that he would discover somehow and, consequently, step back and not be your friend anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You two agreed on pepperoni topping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aww, pepperoni is awful,” Daniel complained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you whining about? You chose your own topping, Daniel,” Sean said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, but I want Y/N to eat my pizza too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll eat whatever’s on the table, Dani,” you told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just don’t eat the napkins,” Esteban said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re paper napkins, I think they’re edible enough,” you said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ewww,” the Diaz brothers expressed at the same time, making you and Esteban laugh at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dinner with the Diaz was always a fun thing - you loved to see Daniel picking at Sean and the boy getting angry, but not </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> angry -, so tonight was no exception. Daniel snorted soda through his nose, making you and Sean laugh like two idiots while Esteban tried to pose as a “father who had control over his children,” even though he was holding his own laugh. It was easy to forget that Sean had changed over your eyes, and as soon as that thought occurred to you, the feelings all came back in a flow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Esteban dropped you at your house, Daniel waving and screaming bye to you until you stepped inside the living room. Your mom was in the kitchen snacking on something. “Hey,” she said. “Had fun tonight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” you said giggling, remembering some of the hilarious things that could happen in a pizza restaurant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You seem different, sweetie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You stood still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Different how?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, just… different. I guess tonight was fun for you. Oh, I almost forgot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But different how?</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Am I looking too tortured or what?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your brother called - he’s coming next week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Those news enlightened you in a whole new way that you didn’t think was possible. Your brother here meant that you could take your mind off of what’s troubling you, besides the fact that you could always count on your brother for advice - especially the kind you needed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s awesome!” You shouted and your mom smiled. “Oh, I’ve been waiting for that call. I gotta tell the others! Lyla needs to update her to-do list.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You ran to your room, opening your laptop and checking if both your best friends were online. They happened to be. You immediately called them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wadduuuup,” Lyla said as soon as all of you were on the call.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it an emergency? I just dropped Y/N at her house,” Sean said and you could hear Daniel’s loud voice in the background.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think Daniel had too much soda,” you said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daniel’s excited about something at his friend’s house this weekend - I don’t intend to find out what it is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I happen to have </span>
  <em>
    <span>great</span>
  </em>
  <span> news,” you said, placing your hand on your chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How great are we talking about?” Lyla asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The kind of great that will require an update to your to-do list,” you answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that only means one thing,” Sean said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your brother’s coming!” Lyla jumped on her chair. “That’s so awesome!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If you loved your brother that much, just imagine your friends - he felt like an older brother to all of them as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, I’ll see where I can include mr. Peter </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>think of new things we can do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now that Y/N just told us the news, are you two down for some gaming?” Sean suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Seanie, I’m tired of all the cleaning, I don’t think I can function well enough to play through the night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, me neither,” you said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> do the whole day to feel tired?” Sean asked, suspicious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just wanna go to bed early, that’s all,” you shrugged off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes it sucks being the only guy in this group.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This has nothing to do with you being a boy,” you stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He knows that, he just likes to be a drama queen,” Lyla said. “Well, I’m off. Kisses and hugs,” and Lyla went offline.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going too,” you said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know,” Sean rolled his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just play with Daniel,” you teased him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no way. He’s too on, I don’t wanna increase the situation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good luck with the goofball. Good night, Sean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good night, Y/N.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You finally went to bed, staring at your ceiling, a swirl of thoughts running through your mind. Sean’s phrase at the Park’s kitchen earlier that day came back to you, making your heart go wild. “You don’t need to play with Daniel to get me jealous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s nothing, it’s nothing, it means anything, it’s nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you repeat it like a mantra until you fall asleep, having a dreamless sleep.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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